The bedroom should be the most comfortable room in the house, after all, the purpose of shelter as a basic human need is to provide a place to sleep and rejuvenate the body and mind. For this reason, home lighting fixtures and arrangements for the bedroom should be carefully considered. Many people also use the bedroom to read books or write in journals, and for this reason the bedroom should provide the right light for such activities while still creating a peaceful ambience.
One of the most common lighting mistakes that can through off the entire bedroom is using direct, downward lighting over the bed. This produces a large amount of glare, and does not make reading more enjoyable. However, this does not mean you should depend on the overhead lighting in the room for reading light. This type and quality of light is often bad for reading, adding unnecessary strain on the eyes. If you enjoy reading or writing in bed, put a table lamp on the nightstand positioned slightly behind your head and closer to the wall. A wall sconce may also be used in a similar position on the wall to prevent shadows. If you sleep with a partner, it is a good idea to test some fixtures that will keep the other side of the room relatively dark while you stay awake reading. This is a simple courtesy that your partner will certainly appreciate. When tackling the ambience of the bedroom, floor lighting or lighting directed through plants soften the room light very effectively. However, this sort of lighting should be secondary to a bright ceiling fixture with dimming capability. You need to be able to make the room as bright as you want when you need to find something, but you also want the option of low, soft light for resting. If it seems like your room is too small, the right lighting can make it seem more comfortable. By keeping the room evenly lit, the claustrophobic feeling will subside. Along with overhead lighting, there should be lighting at the head of the bed, with the similar fixtures referred to before, balanced with lights positioned in the opposite part of the room, maybe a lamp on the dresser or a floor lamp in the corner. After turning on all of the lights in the room, look for areas that produce shadows, then attempt to reposition the bedroom lighting so that the shadows are minimized.
Lastly, don't forget to put bright light fixtures in the closet that are well protected. The closet is considered a utility area of the bedroom and should be treated this way in order to have the light needed for locating clothes or accessories. By using durable fixtures, the risk of damaging light fixtures from pulling something down from a higher shelf is reduced. It is also important to be able to discern the true color of your clothes so that you don't show up to work wearing navy with black.
Home lighting in the bedroom can have a profound effect on sleep and the over all enjoyment of a living environment. Take a few extra minutes to plan this lighting carefully and reap the benefits every single night.

About the Author: John Billington is the president and CEO of Five Rivers Inc., a leading online provider of home lighting and bathroom lighting. For more information, please visit www.fiverivers.com.